Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-30
FRIDAY..........DECEMBER 80, 1887
Let II be Rnr,od.

After quoting paragraph from Tins
paper stating that the people Of the
South will never divide TO any great ex-
tent on any economic question so long
rs the Republican leaders seek to array
a solid North against the South and
make the Republican party a party OF
sectionalism, the Washington Post adds:
This is trre, and the responsibility
for il rests entirely upon the northern
Republicans, who have never been will
ing and are now unable TO press upon
the white people of the South issues
upon which they can divide. and at the
same time preserve their self-respcct and
their confidence in their ability to main
tain their local self-govornment
There has never been any real states
manship in the Republican party. 1t
has never had sense enough to acknow-
ledge that the southern people com
mitted no crime whatever IN engaging
in defensive war to establish what they
conscientiously held to be the true con
eiluCllOu Oi TIE tu'idl ONAotAtut4Nii'
1t is supreme folly to attempt to make
even the northern people believe that their
southern brethren did not fight IN what
they sincerely held TO bet righteous cause.
so far as the people of this State were CON
cerned, they had set forth in their resO-
luton ratifying the Federal Constitution
that they claimed the right to secede
from the Union whenever in their
Judgment it should become their interest
so TO do.
Mr.. SHERMAN does not for a moment
harbor the belief that the men whom he
calls "rebels are in any way inferior
TO those whom be describes rs "loyal. -
All the sectional legislation of the Re
publican party goes 10 prove that that
party has had no good reason for not
having given up the ghost as soon as the
war between the States had ended.
The attempt to revive sectional
feeling has for twenty-odd years been
one of the features of the policy OF the
Republican party whenever an election
for President came in sight. That party
first lost the House of Representatives.
on this issue fourteen or fifteen years
ago. Since then the Democrats have
elected a majority of the members OF
that house oftener than they have failed
to do so. The Republican party lost the
presidency on the sectional issue IN
1884. 1t has almost lost control of the
Senate on the same dead issue. Where,
al their legi lation, can be found one
wise, statesmanlike measure?
What a grand spectacle this country
would have presented to the world by
this time if the Republican party had
had statesmen for its leaders, and pa
triots instead of sectionalists TO guide
its policy. A union of hearts, as well
as n union of hands. might long ago
have been accomplished. Instead OF
strife we should have had peace. Instead of
elimination and recriminatIon III Con-
gress We should have had able and
learned discussions Of poliiico-economi-
cal questions. Instead OF jealousy, we
should have had amicable emulation.
1t is to be hoped that next year will
witness the death of the Republican
party. II has lived too long already. If
it ever had a mission, il has none now.
1t "cumbereth the EARTH Let it he put
out of sight. The world cannot afford to
allow such a party to live at this en-
lghtened day.